Japan Waka: Inside Rain, Whistle, and Blue Samurai

Na Shibuya crossing World Cup live broadcast be di real beginning of my Japan waka. Night don reach nine, di four-side red light come on same time, people stand for zebra crossing outside, like pot of water wey never boil finish. Di screen on top TSUTAYA dey show Japan team pre-match pictures, blue jersey dey one-one float out from crowd. One salaryman hold im briefcase under im armpit, bend down dey send voice message to im colleague: 'If we win tonight, tomorrow morning meeting suppose cancel.' Senior student wey stand near laugh, but nobody shout for real. Japanese people excitement dey always stay for throat first. When whistle blow, na im whole street go inhale at once.

Before match start, I buy one oden for convenience store. Di radish don soak for soup until e near transparent, kelp salty taste dey climb di paper cup edge. Di cashier ask me weda I need mustard, I never even hear finish, di boy wey wear Japan number 7 jersey behind me don answer 'sukoshi' for me. E point di screen say Mitoma Kaoru na Kanagawa boy, come add again say any pikin wey come out from Kawasaki, leg dey always carry riverside field breeze. I follow im hand look di street junction — taxi, umbrella, supporter scarf, convenience store steam, everything mix together. For dat moment, football no be sports news again, e be one kind of late-night Tokyo scent.

Next day I go Yokohama, na im I understand why Japanese fans dey always call Endo Wataru 'di quiet captain.' Minato Mirai sea breeze dey wake person up well-well. Outside Red Brick Warehouse, one papa dey train im pikin make e pass ball. Every time di pikin stop ball too far, di papa no dey shout, e just dey use im toe push ball back, come talk say: 'Mou ikkai.' Try am again. Endo waka comot from Yokohama, later go Europe go play dat kind ball wey e no dey grab camera but e dey always dey im position. Yokohama be like dat too: sea open wide, but city no dey make noise, like defensive midfielder wey dey hold all di excitement steady.

When rain dey fall for Kyoto Arashiyama, di sound go land on bamboo leaf first, before e reach umbrella, den e enter river. Di tourists for Togetsukyo Bridge side don reduce by half. Di rickshaw man throw towel for im shoulder, wheel dey roll over wet stone tile, make small-small creaking sound. I enter one small tea house hide. Di madam put hot hojicha on top table, TV dey play sports news for mute. Kubo Takefusa picture show for screen, she talk say Kubo im Nara story na something plenty Kansai fans like to tell, like dem dey tell story of pikin wey fit run from old capital small road go world stage. Outside window, temple bell start dey ring slowly. Suddenly I remember football whistle: one dey make person stop, one dey make person run. But for Japan, both of dem dey demand say make you first hear di order.

Evening rain stop, I follow bamboo small path waka comot. Water wey drop from bamboo leaf enter my neck back, cold dey make person shrink. Roadside souvenir shop hang Blue Samurai keychain, put am same line with maneki-neko and matcha biscuit. Two girls inside shop dey discuss lineup, one talk say Mitoma suppose enter early, di other talk say Kubo sabi tear defense pass. Dem voice low, and when dem pay, dem still tell di cashier thank you well-well. For person wey dey do Japan waka for first time, dis kind self-control fit be mistaken as coldness. But if you watch one match with dem finish, you go see say dem fold dem passion tidy-tidy, put am for pocket, wait for dat key pass before dem bring am out. Team badge dey inside work bag, player sticker dey phone case, inside train dem no dey shout, but every attack dem dey hold breath same time.

For Kyoto Station as I dey change train, I meet one old man wey wear suit. E hold evening paper for hand, di sports page fold outside, paper corner wet from rain. E see say I dey look di headline, e use im own mind shift paper small towards me, point di Japan team group photo talk say: 'Tsuyoku natta ne.' Dem don become strong. No show-off, no explanation. Just like person dey talk say today rain finally reduce. Train enter station, e fold im paper well, nod im head for me, and disappear inside escalator with di crowd. Dat kind short sentence, e carry more warmth about Japan football pass long-long commentary.

Reach Osaka, Dotonbori use smell drag person back to ground. Takoyaki iron plate dey produce white smoke, di sauce sweet dey shine. Kushikatsu shop door oil smell dey stick to person jacket, even pass Glico signboard, e still no gree commot. Riverside big screen dey replay Japan team goal, tourists dey raise phone, but local uncle just dey look di last pass with eye, mouth dey talk: 'Soko, umai.' Dere, e sweet. For standing sushi shop side, I hear two chef dey argue about Gamba Osaka and national team. One talk say World Cup dey make pikin want play ball more. Di other talk say pikin suppose first learn how to queue — even stealing ball no suppose scatter. E sound like joke, but e deep Japan.

Night go small more, shop roller shutter dey one-one drop. Cooking oil smell still dey hang for street corner, like applause wey no gree scatter after match don end.

I like dis kind honest contradiction. Tokyo go pack whole world inside one junction. Kyoto go keep rain sound like ancient book. Osaka go spread appetite and voice all over street. But wetin really make di journey remain, na dose small-small gaps wey only person wey waka fit see. Deep night convenience store oden soup dey carry kelp and sleepiness. Temple bell and match final whistle, both fit make person suddenly quiet. People wey wear jersey for train platform go automatically stand two lines, make celebration no block anoda person from going house.

Before I commot, I go back Shibuya again. Di screen no get match, only advertisement remain. Di crossing still dey release people sharp-sharp like before. One small boy wear oversize Japan team jersey, dey follow im mama back, dey use im leg gently tap one ball wey no dey visible. Green light finish, e 'stop' di ball for white line front, no cross am. I think say dis na di hardest part to write about Japan waka: you think say you come find neon light, temple, ramen and star player, but wetin you go remember na one pikin wey stop ball for red light front with self-control. Japan football passion no dey always shout am. E dey hide inside Kanagawa sea breeze, Nara old road, Yokohama passing practice. E still dey hide inside every person wey sabi wait for di whistle.